Japanese Sayings gives you a practical set of Japanese words and expressions in one place, so you can study useful vocabulary without digging through scattered sources.
Each row is designed for quick review with meaning, example usage, and any available pronunciation help. When you want an offline copy, use the free Download PDF button below the table.
Want more than one list? Browse our Japanese section for more Yak Yacker study pages, printable lists, and quiz-friendly review material.
How To Study Japanese Sayings More Naturally
Japanese sayings are useful because they often carry a full idea, warning, or bit of advice in a compact expression. Even if you do not plan to use them constantly in conversation, recognizing them helps you understand dramas, books, subtitles, and everyday cultural references much more naturally.
The important thing is not to memorize only a literal translation. A saying usually makes more sense when you study three layers together: what the words literally say, what the expression really means, and the kind of situation where someone would actually use it. That extra context keeps the phrase from feeling like a strange riddle.
This list is designed for that kind of study. Work through the saying, its reading, its learner-friendly meaning, and the example sentence as one unit. If you can picture when someone would say it, you are much more likely to remember it and recognize it later in real Japanese.
Japanese Sayings Quiz
Feeling brave? The quiz below will test how many of these sayings have already wormed their way into your brain. Give it a whirl before or after you study the list.
Japanese Sayings List
| Expression | Reading | Meaning | Example | Translation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 手を抜く | Te o nuku | To cut corners; do less than one should | To cut corners; do less than one should | To cut corners; do less than one should |
| 手を貸す | Te o kasu | To lend a hand | To lend a hand | To lend a hand |
| 承知しました | shōchi shimashita | Understood | Business acknowledgment. | Understood |
| 案ずるより産むが易し | あんずるよりうむがやすし | Giving birth is easier than worrying about it; doing something is often easier than dreading it. | やってみたら意外と簡単だった。案ずるより産むが易しだ。 | When I tried it, it was surprisingly easy. Doing it was easier than worrying about it. |
| 棚からぼたもち | たなからぼたもち | Unexpected luck; a windfall. | 抽選で旅行が当たった。棚からぼたもちだ。 | I won a trip in a lottery. It was like a windfall. |
| 気がつく | Ki ga tsuku | To notice | To notice | To notice |
| 気が利く | Ki ga kiku | Thoughtful; attentive | Thoughtful; attentive | Thoughtful; attentive |
| 気が合う | Ki ga au | To get along well | To get along well | To get along well |
| 気が弱い | Ki ga yowai | Timid; weak-nerved | Timid; weak-nerved | Timid; weak-nerved |
| 気が強い | Ki ga tsuyoi | Strong-willed | Strong-willed | Strong-willed |
| 気が重い | Ki ga omoi | Feel reluctant; feel heavy-hearted | Feel reluctant; feel heavy-hearted | Feel reluctant; feel heavy-hearted |
| 気をつけて | ki wo tsukete | Take care | When someone leaves. | Take care |
| 泣きっ面に蜂 | なきっつらにはち | Adding insult to injury; misfortunes never come singly. | 財布を落として、雨まで降ってきた。泣きっ面に蜂だ。 | I lost my wallet, and then it started raining too. That's adding insult to injury. |
| 渡りに船 | わたりにふね | A timely help; a godsend; exactly what you needed. | 困っていたら友達が助けてくれた。渡りに船だった。 | A friend helped me when I was in trouble. It was a godsend. |
| 犬も歩けば棒に当たる | いぬもあるけばぼうにあたる | When a dog walks, it hits a stick; if you venture out, you might encounter trouble or good luck (dual meaning). | 新しいサークルに入ったら、いい友達ができた。犬も歩けば棒に当たるね。 | When I joined a new club, I made a good friend. Sometimes going out leads to unexpected good luck. |
| 犬猿の仲 | Ken'en no naka | Like cats and dogs; bitter relationship | Like cats and dogs; bitter relationship | Like cats and dogs; bitter relationship |
| 狐につままれる | Kitsune ni tsumareru | Feel puzzled as if tricked | Feel puzzled as if tricked | Feel puzzled as if tricked |
| 猫に小判 | ねこにこばん | Gold coins to a cat; giving something valuable to someone who doesn't appreciate it (like pearls before swine). | 彼に高いワインをあげても、猫に小判だ。 | Giving him expensive wine is like pearls before swine. |
| 猫の手も借りたい | Neko no te mo karitai | Extremely busy | Extremely busy | Extremely busy |
| 猫をかぶる | Neko o kaburu | Pretend to be sweet or innocent | Pretend to be sweet or innocent | Pretend to be sweet or innocent |
| 猿も木から落ちる | さるもきからおちる | Even monkeys fall from trees; even experts make mistakes. | 先生でも漢字を間違えることがある。猿も木から落ちるね。 | Even teachers sometimes make mistakes with kanji. Even monkeys fall from trees. |
| 申し訳ありません | mōshiwake arimasen | I am very sorry (formal) | Deep apology. | I am very sorry (formal) |
| 目がない | Me ga nai | Crazy about; weak for | Crazy about; weak for | Crazy about; weak for |
| 目が高い | Me ga takai | Have a good eye; good judgment | Have a good eye; good judgment | Have a good eye; good judgment |
| 目に入る | Me ni hairu | To catch one’s eye | To catch one’s eye | To catch one’s eye |
